Breaking the Rules
by stacywriter
Summary: Jamie and Eddie are thrown in an undercover assignment as a couple, which gives them a push in the right direction in regard to the state of their relationship. What happens when they cross the point of no return - with their jobs and their friendship?
1. Chapter 1

**Breaking the Rules: Chapter One**

* * *

The words from his Sargent echoed, "I need you and Janko to go undercover – as a couple."

The two of them were up for the challenge of this assignment; however, the reality of what this meant between Jamie and his partner was beginning to seep into his mind, as he stood near the open locker. The undercover assignment with Eddie Janko was an opportunity to make detective at some point, but he also knew the feelings between them were about to spill over during this operation.

They wanted to be together, that was evident.

But risking their jobs, ones they had worked hard for and loved, didn't seem to be a move either one of them was willing to take. If one of them were to get promoted in or out of the precinct, then maybe that would give them the push they needed to take a step forward.

For now, their priority seemed to rest on their work partnership and friendship.

Starting tonight, though, they were supposed to go out there as an undercover couple and put on a show. The problem wasn't the 'show' itself, but what happened when the curtain closed and the lights went down and it was done?

They were supposed to go back to being partners, friends?

Jamie knew the answer was simple – yes, that was what they were _expected_ to do.

Shutting the locker with a little unexpected force, he took a breath and stepped out into the hallway, where he knew she'd be waiting.

Their eyes quickly met the moment he stepped into her view, both knowing the night was about to get a bit sticky between them. And when she pulled herself away from the wall, he smiled at her with ease. Eddie's blond locks draped past her shoulders, slightly curled, and the silk material of her top hung loosely around her upper body, with the black dress pants fitting her just right, which left him to appreciate the vision she was trying to sell for that night.

She was about to lure this man in by her appearance, something Jamie felt a bit uneasy about.

With a smile, Eddie took in the way Jamie looked as well.

"You ready?" Jamie asked, taking in a deep breath as he checked her over without drawing attention.

She nodded in agreement, barely able to mutter a word in return. Tonight, it wasn't going to be easy, considering the way they both felt about the other, and knowing they weren't about to risk the job and let those feelings get in the way.

They had to keep a level head – they were there to con a con in a matter of speaking.

* * *

After walking into the restaurant and being seated, Eddie and Jamie ordered a drink from the waitress, right before noticing that their targets weren't too far from their table. Jamie nodded in Eddie's direction, both watching the couple from the corner of their eye and stealing a few unintended glances toward each other as well.

"I don't like this…"

Eddie turned her attention from the couple back at Jamie, who suddenly seemed uncomfortable. "You don't like what exactly?"

"Using you as bait."

This was the very reason why getting involved with your partner wasn't a good idea. Feelings got in the way of doing your job and doing it well. Normally, he had her back and she had his, regardless of the situation they were walking into.

Sometimes, though, Jamie had an issue with her being used as a target.

He didn't like it.

He didn't trust that something wouldn't go wrong.

"I thought we both agreed—"

Jamie stole a glance back at the couple, just to ensure they were still in view and hadn't snuck out the back. The couple appeared to be scanning the room, probably looking for their next likely target. Jamie then turned away, taking a moment to lean into the table and finish the conversation with Eddie, if that was even possible. "We did…sort of."

They'd committed to keeping things between them professional; although, it wasn't easy when neither seemed to be able to forget about the kiss or the way they had laid out their feelings for the other. Going back wasn't possible, but they sure weren't moving forward, either.

Eddie felt his stare in that moment, almost as if it was burning right through her.

The couple they were watching got up for a dance, which allowed Jamie to request Eddie to do the same with him. As they stood in unison, and once her fingers touched his, the electricity was felt between the two of them, allowing for the next step to come easily.

Eddie's eyes shifted to Jamie's backside as he led her onto the dance floor, in ear-shot of the couple.

A part of her was nervous about being with him out on the dance floor again.

They both knew what they had wasn't platonic.

Jamie's right hand slid around Eddie's waist, their eyes locking with each other as this motion drew her near him. Something they had secretly been wanting again since their last dance. Her left hand rested on his shoulder, and he took her other hand and pressed it close to his chest. "They are watching us," Eddie whispered into Jamie's ear, leaning in a bit closer.

Jamie felt the knot in the pit of his stomach, not from the words spoken but just her closeness.

She felt it, too.

"He is watching you," Jamie whispered back to Eddie.

Eddie knew the plan – this couple wasn't devoted to each other, they were a duo that was out to dup couples. They dangled the possibility of get rich schemes to those they thought were easy and trusting targets, and then they broke the trust between the devoted couple, allowing the man to swoop in and get a wad of cash from the woman before moving onto the next couple to deceive.

She knew that the man used his seductive smile, allowing the trusting woman to doubt her partner.

Jamie felt Eddie's body pull away from his just slightly, breaking the connection between them for a moment as the song ended. Even though there was a second of silence in between songs, he knew the couple was still watching to see if they were trusting, loyal, and whether they seemed devoted to one another.

Time to shift the plan into the next gear.

Jamie leaned forward, knowing that sparks were going to fly and nervousness was about to set in, just as he pulled Eddie to him by placing his hand on her hips, and then brushing his lips against hers. The kiss was intended to be short. However, once their lips touched, they found it difficult to pull away.

Maybe because it had been weeks since it had happened.

Maybe because they didn't want it to end.

Either way, Eddie immediately felt like they'd taken it a little too far.

They were partners, not lovers.

But then again, they were playing roles of a couple that was just that.

The two separated from each other, and as she led him to the bar, his eyes were on every move she made. The heat between them was apparent, and he hoped that the couple picked up on it as well. This was their job for the night – draw this couple in, and then see if they could get noticed.

It seemed to be working.

After standing near the bar and ordering a few more drinks, Jamie turned around to find the targeted man directly behind Eddie. A step in the right direction. However, Jamie didn't like the way his eyes were checking Eddie out. The man looked her up and down like a piece of meat, and just as he was about to say something, Eddie placed her hand against Jamie's chest, stopping him.

When the woman joined her husband, she set her eyes on Jamie.

This wasn't lost on Eddie, either.

The woman leaned toward Jamie to grab her drink from the bar, and then slipped a card in his jacket.

"Excuse us," she spoke softly, before throwing a fake smile in Eddie's direction.

The couple quickly excused themselves, and before Eddie and Jamie had returned to their own table, the couple was nowhere to be seen. The restaurant was starting to fill with couples and families, but it was as if _their_ couple just disappeared into thin air.

Jamie pulled out the card left in his pocket.

"What does it say?" Eddie asked while she stood close to him, continuing to scan the room.

"Phone number, and a little incentive."

Eddie glanced down at the card, smiled in Jamie's direction, knowing that the first phase of this operation had gone as planned. Maybe not smoothly for the two of them, but they had accomplished what they needed that night.

* * *

They slowly reached the door of her apartment later that night, and as she fumbled for her keys and opened the door a crack to step in the doorway, Jamie rested against the frame as she turned back to him. They both had a few drinks that night, and while they weren't exactly drunk, they were a bit tipsy.

Eddie took a step toward Jamie, pressed her lips to his cheek and whispered, "Good night."

It didn't take long for an innocent peck on the cheek to turn more heated.

As soon as her lips left his cheek, their eyes quickly locked on each other, leaving them frozen for a moment. He didn't want her to pull away, not this time. All this pretending was getting to him, and he didn't know what kind of fall out would happen if they threw caution to the wind and broke all the rules.

This wasn't something they were supposed to act on.

Against better judgement, though, Jamie removed one hand from his jean pocket and rested it against her waist. He drew her near in that moment, pressing her body against his and his lips to hers, allowing their kiss to linger until they could barely take another breath.

Once they pulled back, Eddie's forehead rested against Jamie's, keeping their connection.

"Jamie…" she whispered, pressing her hand against his chest, without really pulling back.

He knew what she was about to say – they knew this wasn't right, not if they wanted to continue working together. The risks of getting involved on the job were too high. A wrong moved could get one of them or someone else killed.

It had to stop.

Whatever this was had to stop.

And even though the whisper of his name seemed as though she was about to pull back, it was the placement of her hands that told him a different story. He felt her hands slip between his jacket and pull him with her into the apartment. Their bodies parted, allowing the door to close behind them, and as it did she stepped backward against the nearest wall.

They thought they had gone past the point of no return already, the moment their feelings were out.

This…this was truly the point of no return, if they went any further.

Jamie couldn't take his eyes off where she stood – while he'd always let her call the shots on where they were headed and at what speed, he'd found himself wanting her so badly, in more than just a physical sense, that he wasn't about to turn away.

Eddie's breathing was unsteady as he took the last step in her direction, so much so that she wondered if he'd noticed the few gasps she'd taken from his proximity. The lights were still off, but that didn't seem to bother either of them in that moment.

"Spoil me for life," Jamie whispered against her mouth, just seconds before his lips crashed onto hers.

...


	2. Chapter 2

**Breaking the Rules: Chapter Two**

* * *

He didn't need to open his eyes to know he wasn't alone or even at his own apartment – he could feel her arms draped around him, feel the way she was nestled into his chest, and it was now clear that at least a part of him knew there was no going back after this.

They just had one problem – their jobs.

It wasn't just a little problem either, this was big. He had been warned – they would be separated as partners if there were any romantic feelings between them, and that was something that he knew neither wanted. Once he realized what he'd been feeling at that time and what it meant, he took a step back and put on the brakes.

A little less focus on the socializing aspect, more on the work partnership.

This, of course, was before their most recent kiss – the night she stood before him, nervous but willing to bare her soul around her feelings, which had ultimately led to them sharing a kiss that left him longing for another.

The pull was strong, at least for him.

Without trying to wake her from what appeared a deep sleep, Jamie slowly slid his body out from underneath her and slipped out of the bed. He took a breath in that moment, looking down as she laid with her stomach flat against the mattress, with the sheet leaving her upper body slightly exposed.

This was going to test him to the limits.

Wanting her and knowing they can't take it any further.

Or, taking it further and going on as if they weren't together.

Ugly choices.

Eddie stirred a bit before opening her eyes, and then was partly surprised when she reached for him and only felt an empty bed. Because of this, she lifted her body upright and became a bit startled, right as she noticed the sheet was hovering around her waistline. Grabbing the sheet with her fingers and wrapping it around her body, she quickly searched the room for Jamie.

There he was, near the doorway, stepping back into the pair of jeans that had been beside her lingerie.

He obviously didn't realize she was awake.

"Is this your way of saying, this was a 'friends with benefits' kind of night?"

From the doorway, a smirk spread across Jamie's mouth while he shoved both hands in each of the jean pockets, just as he turned back to her. There was no way he could deny – she was beautiful in the morning, especially with the way her hair hung around the shoulders and her skin glimmering off the sunlight from the window.

The day was going to be pure torture.

"What do you mean?" he asked playfully, even though he knew _exactly_ what she meant. It was his fault – he flirted with the idea of them having a friends-with-benefits sort of relationship, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of being together without having to risking their jobs.

Not one of his finer moments.

He knew it wouldn't work, just as she did.

Eddie didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer, knowing it was pointless. He was teasing, wanting her to be the one to break this barrier between them from professional to personal. They had a big decision to make – where did they go from here?

The smart decision would be to request a transfer.

They already saw first-hand what being in a relationship can do to a partnership. Neither of them wanted to walk that line; however, the thought of spending 8-10 hour days with someone other than each other wasn't something they wanted to turn away from easily.

They wanted to be sure about what they were doing - like the questions they asked on their date at the lounge – Did he think about what they were missing out on? Did she think about what they were giving up?

Rewards or the risks – which would win out?

The wheels were turning in his head as he watched her closely, tightening the sheet around her body and slipping out of the bed, moments before moving toward him. There was a little bit of an uneasy feeling between them now, as they had obviously crossed a line they weren't supposed to cross.

"We…uh…are expected back at the precinct in less than an hour," Jamie spoke, a bit nervous.

She nodded slowly, holding the sheet as tight as possible. Despite the layer wrapped around her naked frame, it didn't seem to stop him from taking a quick glance downward. "I guess you better go and I should shower."

He nodded in agreement.

Before she turned from him completely, though, Jamie reached for her upper arm to stop any further movement. He wasn't even sure what to say in that moment, as it was clear that neither of them had any answers about where they were going to go from here. All he knew was, it was evident that putting on an act of a platonic partnership, one that wasn't too convincing in the first place, was bound to get people suspicious.

Eddie then felt his hand slide back to her shoulder blade as she stepped into him, leaving very little space between them. "Remember what I said – there is no going back for you."

Nodding, his eyes darted down to her mouth and up again. "Trust me, I know."

Jamie then dropped his hands from the shoulder blade to the lower back, interlacing both of his hands together as he settled in and pulled her even closer. She felt just right in his arms, and he didn't want to think about what it would mean without her to have his back out there daily, let alone being the one to have hers.

His eyes kept shifting in a triangular motion around her face, and before long, he had leaned in a little closer until his mouth finally brushed against hers. It started out slow and tender, using each passing second to draw her further inward.

The moment she deepened the kiss, she felt the sheet start to slip.

This motion caused her to pull back and gasp ever so slightly, leaving his arms to drop to the side and away from her body. "Precinct. We need to get to the precinct." Eddie rested her forehead against his for a few seconds, and then finally, she pulled away and walked around him, heading in the direction of the bathroom.

Once the door closed behind her, it took everything in him not to find an excuse to join her.

* * *

Jamie walked through the halls of the 12th precinct, knowing that he was about to spend at least an 8-hour shift with Eddie in the patrol car on the beat. And then, they were supposed to go back to the restaurant, meet up with the couple they had targeted on their undercover assignment the night before.

Before he made it to the men's locker room, though, he was stopped by a woman.

"Are you Reagan?"

For a split second, Jamie had a flash of the first time he met his partner, Eddie Janko. She was straight out of the academy, and while the situation wasn't the same, it was all in the phrasing and the way she talked.

 _Get it together._

He had to figure out how to get Eddie out of his mind – he'd see her soon enough.

Finally, he shook off the thoughts of Eddie and turned his attention to this woman, possibly an assistant DA that worked with his sister, Erin. "Hi," he said with a smile. "Yes, I'm Jamie Reagan."

She flashed a smile in return. "I'm Kelly – do you happen know where I can find the Sargent on duty last night?" she saw the curiosity in his facial expressions. "It's regarding a case we're working on, and I need to double check a few facts. It's crucial if we want to save this woman's life."

Jamie shrugged, "You might be able to find him down the hall, to the left and three doors down." The woman thanked him with a huge smile, leaving him to grin a bit as he told her that he was glad to help.

As the woman disappeared, he caught Eddie leaning against a nearby wall, giving him one of those looks that told him that he may have enjoyed the interaction a little too much. Of course, he didn't think much of what he was doing in the moment.

"See something you like?" Eddie teased, walking toward him.

He did, just not the person he knew she was referring.

Eddie knew the rest of their day would be spent together, with the majority side by side in a patrol car, and nothing to do but sit in silence, trying to forget about their night together. They'd shared a kiss here and there before, but last night, she memorized every inch of him.

All Jamie could hope for that day was a little street action – domestic disturbance, gang violence, anything to keep his mind focused on their jobs and not each other. At least during their time on the beat.

The night, however, he knew he was in trouble.

He'd probably spend part of it holding her in his arms on the dance floor, depending on what type of progress they made with the couple. If they were lucky, however, Eddie would put on one of those amazing dresses she owned and show this man that he wasn't about to con her, not in the way he'd done with so many women.

Eddie was smart, tough, and someone he respected completely.

He'd told her as much when Josh threw her to the curb – she should be proud that she 'kicked ass', and anyone that was with her should feel the same. He'd wanted her to know she was nobody's consolation prize, especially never to him.

"You left your t-shirt behind when you left," she whispered, stepping a little closer but still keeping a close eye on all the officers and higher in rank that were coming and going. The last thing they needed was to get caught, separated from each other by one being moved to another precinct.

Jamie too was cautious of the conversation.

"Are you sure it was mine?" he asked, hinting that it could have easily belonged to Josh, or maybe even one of her boyfriends before him. It wasn't as though she hadn't dated in the years that he has known her.

"It is yours," she continued at a whisper, "It has your scent."

He hadn't exactly planned to leave it there, he didn't think that far ahead; however, now that he had, there was no reason he couldn't go back that night and pick it up. "Maybe I'll need to stop by again."

"If this becomes a habit…"

Jamie bit down on his lower lip, trying to tone down what was going on between them. Luckily, none of his family worked in his precinct. If they did, they'd see right through him, or maybe they already have – especially Danny and Erin.

"No habit, promise."

Eddie couldn't hide her smile; although, she tried to glance away to do just that.

Jamie noticed the dress bag in her arms, and as she crossed him on her way to the women's locker room, he stopped her for a moment. "Whatever you plan to put on for our assignment tonight, just know that I plan to take it off you later."

…


	3. Chapter 3

**Breaking the Rules:** **Chapter Three**

* * *

The morning in the patrol car had been quiet, no excitement on the beat to speak of, which of course had to be just their luck, considering this was their first ride on patrol after spending the night together. It wasn't exactly simple to go on pretending that nothing had changed, when in fact it had.

Jamie looked over at Eddie, struggling with whether he wanted to say anything.

"Do you want a new partner?" she asked, finally breaking the silence between them.

He glanced back for a moment, all the while trying to keep his eye on the road. "I didn't say that."

Maybe he hadn't exactly said the words, but she knew they were entering the danger zone if they continued down this road. Did they want to risk their lives in the process? Or someone else's? Or, what if it wasn't lives as stake – what if they were risking the jobs that they had worked hard to achieve?

"No, but maybe you should have."

Once he went through the stop light, Jamie pulled over into a parking spot on the side of the road. It was lunch time anyway, so they had an hour to hash this out or until they received a radio call, whichever came first.

Eddie didn't exactly turn to him once the car was in park; although, she could feel his burning stare right through her, which left a bit of anxiety around whether he could sense every single emotion she was feeling in that moment.

"We agreed that if we went down this road we couldn't turn back," Jamie reminded her, turning slightly to meet her eyes and hope she did the same. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, as she continued to stare straight ahead, fixated on a couple that was walking down the street hand in hand. "Eddie."

She was hesitant to meet him square in the eye.

"See that couple, Jamie?" she nodded forward, until he acknowledged that he had seen the couple. "That can never be us, not if we remain in the same precinct and continue as partners. Is that what you want, to hide whatever this is, knowing it can't go anywhere?" She finally turned to him.

He knew she was right.

He hated it, but he knew it.

Before either one of them could speak any further and force a decision, they heard a voice across the radio, calling them to a domestic disturbance down the road, in the middle of the street, with the suspect possibly waiving a gun around and scaring the public.

"12-David responding."

Jamie took one last glance at Eddie before flying out of the parking spot on the street, in pursuit of the call they had just received, but also knowing they both would have preferred just about any other call that day.

* * *

After a long day, receiving a little action in the afternoon on the beat, starting with their domestic disturbance, Jamie and Eddie returned to the precinct. The day wasn't over for the two of them, as they now had to put on their evening attire for their undercover assignment, as a couple no-less.

The two of them quietly made their way through the halls of the 12th precinct.

Before they separated and headed into the men's and women's locker room respectively, Jamie turned to Eddie. "I'll meet you out in front?" he asked, and then Eddie nodded in silence, no smile in sight.

He knew their sleeping together was bound to cause problems in the future.

Hanging back for a moment as she entered the women's locker room, Jamie wondered how the night would go for them. Could they keep their emotions out of it and just do their jobs? After all, they were cops, and this was their assignment.

In frustration, Jamie grumbled under his breath while entering the men's locker room.

* * *

Opening the door to the restaurant, Jamie found himself taking in the way Eddie looked, but also knowing it wouldn't be an easy night, since it was obvious that she was still irked by their short conversation in the patrol car. It was true and a valid point, they'd have to keep their relationship as a secret if they wanted to continue working in the same precinct, unless one of them was willing to transfer out, and so far, neither seemed to be willing to make that sacrifice.

Eddie felt his warm breath on her neck from behind.

"See them?" she asked, trying to avoid the tingling in her body due to his proximity. But instead of answering from where she stood, she felt him take another step closer. "Remember why we're here tonight."

The couple saw them, and then the man rose to his feet, clearly fixated on where Eddie stood.

Jamie nodded and was about to take a step, but stopped when he noticed Eddie wasn't moving. "Are you sure you're up for this? You, and this dress of yours, grabbed his attention. Are you—"

Without so much as a warning, Eddie turned around to face him, barely leaving a few inches of space between them. She felt the electricity once she reached for his hand, interlocking their fingers together and forcing a smile at Jamie. "We have a job to do, so let's do it."

* * *

His arm was stretched across Eddie's chair, as he sat back slightly and watched the way this man was eating up every word coming out of her mouth. Even Jamie had a difficult time keeping his eyes off her, despite the woman of this couple sending a flirtatious smile his way.

"Mark-may I call you Mark?" Eddie asked with a smile, clearly gaining the man's trust.

The man glanced at his wife, a look that wasn't lost on Eddie or Jamie, and then turned back and smiled brightly. "Absolutely."

Eddie pulled her chair in a bit, causing Jamie's arm to drop down and away from her. A part of him wondered if that was deliberately done in anger toward him or if this was part of her plan. Either way, this Mark Jacobs guy seemed to be eating it up.

The man glanced down at Eddie's cleavage as she leaned forward slightly, clearly distracting him.

"Great," Eddie said with a smile. "I hear everything you are saying, and while it sounds like something we'd like to be involved in, I was hoping you could answer a few questions for me first…"

Again, the man and his wife exchanged a mutual look.

Mark Jacobs stood from his chair, requesting Eddie join him on the dance floor.

When the wife didn't object, Eddie turned to Jamie and flashed him a smile that took his breath away. She leaned in his direction and placed a soft peck on his lips, to prove to this couple that they were in love, at least that was the front they wanted to portray for the moment.

Jamie's free hand found it's way up to her back, pulling her to him for just a second longer. Once their lips parted, he gave her the signal that he would be watching her out there. The last thing he was going do was sit back and allow this slime ball to be all over Eddie.

He'd break their cover if it came to that.

Eddie slipped from his grip, shifting her legs to the side and slowly standing to her feet, with the help of their target. Again, she had to remind herself that this was her job, and for now, Jamie's job was to sit back and let her handle anything that took place on the dance floor.

Reaching for his drink, Jamie stole a glance at Eddie, trying not to let what was happening affect him.

Before he knew it, the wife of this man slid into the chair next to Jamie, blocking his view of Eddie and Mr. Jacobs. This made him uneasy, but he had no choice to go with it, and convince himself that Eddie could handle herself out there; after all, she was a trained cop.

Mrs. Jacobs placed a hand on Jamie's leg.

"Uh—" Jamie fumbled, trying not to challenge her on the fact that her hand was a little too close for comfort. "Your husband seems to have several ideas for this business venture." The woman nodded, letting her fingers work their way further up his leg.

The woman then stopped, glanced over at her husband with Eddie, and then back to Jamie.

"Your girlfriend is quite beautiful."

Jamie nodded, agreeing with that very statement. "Yes, she is."

The woman then did something he didn't expect, she removed her hand and let out a sigh, almost as if she seemed a little irritated around where the conversation was headed. Like she gave up on the game playing.

"If you really love her—"

Jamie glanced around the woman, focusing on Eddie, but listening at the same time.

"If you love your girlfriend in the way I think you do, then you'll get her away from my husband as quickly as possible. He has a gun, and he's not above using it on your girlfriend or wife, whoever she may be to you, to get what he wants from her."

His eyes squinted, looking at this woman a little sideways.

"And I should believe you because…."

The woman stood up, blocking Jamie's view once again, as she turned her pencil skirt a bit and tucked in the top that was starting to appear a bit crooked. "Don't believe me, but if she ends up in the hospital because one of you was too hell bent on rolling in a wad of cash, don't blame either one of us for the trouble that comes your way. Consider this your first and only warning."

Jamie focused on Eddie and Mark Jacobs, moments after the wife way excused herself from the table; and while he wanted to get up and drag Eddie out of there, he knew that was undermining her as a cop who could handle herself.

 _I can't._

The problem was, he couldn't stand to sit back and watch this man's hands on her.

It was killing him.

Slowly.

Another minute went by and the damn song still wasn't over – what did this guy do, request the longest song he could think of to avoid her returning to the table? And what was he whispering in her ear?

None of this sat very well with him at all.

 _None of it._

He breathed through his nostrils, and then as the man turned, his eyes met with Eddie's in what felt like the longest gaze they'd shared in quite some time. He was done with this game; done with the pretending, at least when it came to each other.

Just as he put his hand on the table and pushed himself to his feet, the song ended.

Eddie returned to the table, while Mark made his way to the bar where his wife was standing.

"What's with the look?" Eddie asked Jamie, returning to her seat.

He sat there for a split second, just watching her, debating on whether he wanted to take her out of the restaurant and back to her place. He didn't want to subject her to anymore of this guy, knowing what he knew, and just as he was about to do just that, their targeted couple returned to the table.

The wife was a little cheery, "My husband and I had the greatest idea…"

Jamie and Eddie both turned, waiting for the next phase of the operation to be laid out for them.

* * *

The second night, the second time the two of them returned to the door of her apartment – together.

Eddie unlocked the door, allowing him to make the choice of stepping inside with her or leaving, and truthfully, she wasn't sure which option he would take this time.

Once the door closed, she knew he had chosen to come in.

"I—I'll go get your t-shirt."

He didn't stop her, mostly because he needed a few moments to decide on how he was going to approach the subject of the two of them, and what they were going to do about what happened the other night, what it meant, and which direction they wanted to go.

She returned, not only with his t-shirt, but also with the one he had given her.

A part of Jamie wondered if she was planning on giving it back to him.

"Here you go," she said in a soft voice, handing him only his own shirt.

The other shirt, the one he hoped had meaning to her in the way it had him, was held against her chest with her arms folded. It was not easy taking his eyes off it, knowing darn well that he hoped to see her in it – and nothing else.

"Thanks," he responded, not sure what else to say when it came to that. "Eddie, about what we talked about earlier…"

Eddie shook her head, not really in the mood to get into a conversation about how he's ready to chalk up their night together as a mistake. So much had happened over the past – too many weeks to even count. They'd contemplated being together; they'd dismissed the idea and tried to move on from the other, but for some reason they kept ending right back in this same spot.

"Just admit it – this is not what you want, stop with the mixed signals."

He licked his bottom lip as he pressed them together, knowing that was not what was going on at all.

She waited long enough for him to say something, but since he didn't, she decided to be the one to initiate wherever this was headed. "I guess I shouldn't have started things the other night – or, maybe it was just the alcohol."

"I don't believe that," he finally spoke, taking a few steps toward her. "Neither do you."

It was true, she knew that wasn't her reason for letting things happen the way they did.

He stopped, leaving a bit of distance between them. "A part of me wants to forget all the rules and just be together, a big part of me wants that." It was clear that she was treading lightly as he spoke. "I also don't want to risk walking away from us as partners on the job."

Her eyes shifted downward, understanding what he meant.

They both did.

It didn't take long for him to see the sadness in her eyes, maybe making the wrong assumptions on where this was going. After all, he didn't even understand where it was going. All he knew was, there wasn't a chance they could go back and pretend they were nothing more than partners.

That was over.

They crossed a line that made that option no longer possible.

Eddie made it easy on him in that moment as she spoke, "We need to walk away from whatever this is – date other people, continue on our own path. I guess what you're telling me, you believe the risk of what we'd be giving up is greater than the reward of being together."

Jamie didn't move, he was frozen by her words.

Was that what he was telling her?

In that moment, Eddie took several steps toward him, closing the gap as much as possible, and then placing both hands against his chest. Walking away was going to be difficult, maybe even impossible, given the fact that they'd already broken all the rules between them.

He then placed his hands over hers.

Their foreheads slowly shifted forward until they were touching, and Jamie found himself unable to stop what he did next, which was cup her face in his hands and kiss her deeper than ever before. He wanted to be sure that he still felt this kiss for days, knowing that he had to be OK with this decision they were making, even if it wasn't really what he wanted.

Eddie could feel an intensity coming from him that was electrifying.

Breaking free of their kiss meant more than just a temporary pause, which is why neither one of them cared about the fact that they were barely able to catch a breath as their kiss continued, somehow becoming deeper and deeper with each passing second.

Jamie's hands wrapped around her body, finding their way upward until he reached the zipper of her dress. They both knew what they were doing wasn't exactly the right thing, but they had already tossed aside the 'right thing' the other night, and even though they were saying all the right words now, their actions told a different story.

The heat coming from her body knew the dress couldn't come off her fast enough.

Their lips parted, just as his fingers pulled down the zipper on her dress, and as his eyes darted to hers, he let her make the decision in that moment, to pull back and go down the path of what was right versus wrong in their head, or continue to let their hearts do the talking for them.

Eddie held her fingertips against the strap of her dress, contemplating the next move.

...


	4. Chapter 4

**Breaking the Rules: Chapter Four**

* * *

Standing from the window and watching her sleep, Jamie knew that they'd officially decided to be together, despite all the rules and regulations, as this was something that neither one of them seemed to have much control over anymore.

They _wanted_ to be together.

For now, what was going on between them was nobody's business but theirs.

Eddie's eyes opened slowly, immediately darting over to where he stood. So much had changed between them, starting with the moment she divulged the reasoning behind her jealousy. The way he had reciprocated her feelings was unexpected, but saying she wasn't happy about it would be a lie.

"Good morning," he said in a whisper, moving away from the window.

Approaching the bed, Jamie placed both hands on the mattress and leaned in to give her a soft kiss. He knew working with her day after day, night after night, for the next how many weeks would present itself with several challenges.

Their feelings for each other would need to stay hidden.

Their jobs and their friendship depended on it.

Eddie's hands quickly roamed down his bare chest as their kiss deepened, and just before her fingertips reached the button near the waistband of his jeans, she felt his hands on her shoulders as he pulled back slightly and stood upright.

"Whoa…" he spoke with difficulty, once he felt her fingers loosen the button free.

When his eyes darted down to her, a smile spread across her face before saying, "What?"

"I don't think we have time for this," Jamie said, his hands covering hers. "We have a day tour, remember?" he asked, just in case she forgot.

Her smile lit up the space between them, as she gathered the sheet around her naked frame and stood to her knees. Getting lost in that moment, Eddie felt his hands rest gently against her waist as she faced him, and a part of her wanted him to know that she didn't regret the silent decision they had made the night before. Sure, they didn't exactly say the words about moving forward together, but their actions spoke for themselves.

He then moved his hands to her back, pulling her a bit closer.

"We don't have time for this, remember?"

A small chuckle escaped his lips, taking note of her reminder. Ever since they had taken the plunge and had sex, he couldn't seem to get her off his mind, not even for a second. "I know what I said…" Jamie moved one hand from her back and loosened the top portion of the sheet from her fingers, causing it to drop to her knees on the bed. "But, maybe you had the right idea."

Eddie fell back onto the bed in a string of laughter, just as he lowered himself to her.

Her body tingled from head to toe with the touch of his roaming hands, and she felt all warm inside with each kiss that deepened between them. There wasn't a better feeling than being with him, and while there were more risks than she could count by the two of them getting involved on a personal level, she couldn't push away the way he made her feel.

* * *

Jamie stood near a locker in the men's locker room, about to close it shut and head out to the hallway to find Eddie, knowing that he could probably find her either by the vending machine or getting some coffee. The two of them had worked up quite an appetite that morning, so neither one of them had gotten the chance to grab any breakfast. For him, not much of an issue; however, Eddie was probably raiding the vending machine for anything she could find.

"Hey, Reagan," a fellow officer called out, stepping out from behind a set of lockers.

Jamie nodded at the guy. "Hey, how is it going?"

The guy stopped near the lockers, and then looked straight at Jamie. "I guess I am set to ride with your partner today, I need a female for a decoy – you cool with that?"

 _Was he cool with Eddie being used as a decoy – again? No, he really was not._

 _But what could he say – I don't think you can protect her? That nobody could protect her out there the way he could? Obviously, he couldn't let on how he felt about Eddie riding with someone other than himself._

Stepping away from the locker, Jamie shrugged his shoulders. "I guess that's up to Janko."

The guy nodded in Jamie's direction, not sure if he was buying this calm and collected response considering the rumors going around the house about the two of them, but he took him at his word and walked out of the men's locker room.

* * *

Surprisingly, Jamie seemed to have difficulty tracking Eddie down. However, as he walked out of the precinct in search of his replacement partner for the day, there was Eddie waiting by a nearby patrol car, texting on her phone and unaware of his presence when he approached.

"What's going on?"

Eddie glanced up from her phone by the sound of Jamie's voice, and it didn't take long for her to sense that he was not at all pleased that the two of them wouldn't be riding together. In truth, neither was she. "Jenkins needs a female for today, and I thought maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea considering our situation."

 _Our situation?_

 _If she was referring to the fact that their sleeping together blurred the lines between a personal and professional relationship, then yeah, maybe she was right._

The only problem he had with her riding with another partner, even for just a day, was that he wouldn't be there to watch her back when she needed it. He was left relying on some other officer for that protection. Jamie also knew, at some point, they were bound to be separated on the job, and he would need to put his complete trust in her abilities as a cop.

After all, he knew she was tough as nails, and someone he trusted out on the beat completely.

"I know Jenkins is lucky to have you other there, I just don't like the idea of you working two decoy assignments," he said, showing a bit of concern for her safety, partly as his partner on the job and partly due to the personal feelings behind it. "You have your vest on, right? You remember— "

Eddie cut him off, "Jamie, I have done this before. It will be fine."

Before anything more could be said, the two of them were greeted by their partners for the day. Eddie was assigned with Jenkins, who had been on the job around the same number of years as Jamie, but was nowhere near ready of a promotion. In fact, Eddie could probably teach him a lesson or two. Jamie's partner on the other hand, she was a rookie that seemed to draw quite a bit of attention from the other male officers, which of course Eddie didn't seem to forget by the looks she was sending.

Regardless of their partners, neither of them were comfortable spending their entire day tour apart.

This was good practice, though, showing them that this is what life will be like for them eventually. They'd no longer be spending 8-12 hour days together; instead, if they wanted to remain together personally, the hours they did spend together would have to be more quality in nature rather than quantity.

* * *

Halfway through the day tour, Jamie still knew very little about his rookie partner. All he knew was, she had transferred rather quickly from another New York precinct. He hadn't really questioned her on it, as he'd been distracted, considering Eddie was putting herself out there as a woman to lure in some drug dealer or gangster, details were a bit unclear.

A call came across the radio – officer was down a few blocks from where they were.

This was a few blocks from the area he knew Eddie would be that day, which maybe wasn't a good enough reason to take off from their assigned spot. However, Jamie struggled with the fact that if it was Eddie that was caught in the line of fire, how could he just sit back and do nothing for another officer – personal feelings aside, they always assisted another officer in need.

"Should we go after that call?" Bethany, the rookie cop asked, turning toward Jamie.

He nodded, answered the call, and then pealed out of the parking spot as quickly as he possibly could, accelerating speed while driving down the street and turning the corner at the stop sign. The patrol car finally came to a screeching halt, along with several others trailing behind him, and then Bethany and Jamie flew out of the car, in search of the officer in need of help.

There was no sign of Eddie, but Jamie eventually saw Jenkins walking his way.

"She is all right," Jenkins quickly blurted out before even reaching Jamie. Concern for his partner, maybe? However, by the look of it, the two of them weren't just partners. "She is over by the ambulance getting looked at, but I'm guessing she'll need a quick run to the ER for them to give her the all clear."

"What happened out there? I thought she was just a decoy."

Jenkins nodded, understanding why Reagan was grilling him. This was, after all, his fault. "She was just a decoy for this drug dealer, and it worked like a charm. She was amazing." He caught the slight smile on Jamie's face, pride maybe. "But then, I don't know, this kid came out of nowhere and—you know, I think I'll her tell you the rest."

With that, Jamie nodded at the two of them and excused himself in search of Eddie.

* * *

Eddie watched Jamie pace in the hospital room, waiting for the x-ray results of her wrist, which may or may not be broken. Luckily for her, though, she had saved a child from being involved in a drug exchange between a drug addict mother and her dealer.

"Have you heard any more on the little boy's mom?" Eddie asked Jamie, who seemed to be fixated on her wrist. If it was broken, she was off patrol for a few months until it healed, as she couldn't exactly take down a perp with a broken wrist. "Jamie – you may have another partner for a while, but it will heal."

Releasing her wrist gently from his hands, a slight smile escaped his mouth.

"I know," he replied with an exasperated sigh as he continued, "Hopefully, it's not broken."

Noticing the door was still closed, Eddie interlaced her fingers on her other hand with Jamie's, letting him know that this was all part of being a cop, which she knew he should understand more than anyone. "I may need some help tonight and maybe tomorrow morning," she hinted.

Jamie's eyes widened slightly, once she pulled him a bit closer and returned a smile in his direction. "I don't know, that wrist may be problematic."

By now, the two of them were standing close enough that it would have been so easy to lean in and share a kiss, but they also knew the risk of the door swinging open at any moment was a good enough reason to not go there.

A knock on the door was enough of a warning to pull the two apart.

"Good news," the doctor began as he entered the room, closing it behind him. "You just have a sprain, no broken bones in either wrist. For now, you can go home." He wrote down a few notes on the iPad in his hands. "No work of any kind for 48 hours. You'll need to ice your wrist to reduce pain and swelling for 20-30 minutes, every three to four hours for two to three days, or at least until the pain is gone." He looked at Jamie, and then back at Eddie. "After a week, you should be able to return to your normal work duties."

Eddie thanked the doctor, just as he wished her luck and slipped out of the room, closing the door.

Turning back to Jamie, she shrugged. "I'm betting you are not done with your tour for today."

It was true, he wasn't done for the day, but he'd made different arrangements for the afternoon. "Jenkins took care of it." He told her. "He owes me after what he got you into today. So, for now, my only duty is to take you home." She tried to argue, but he wasn't' about to let anything she said change his mind. "Are you ready?"

Reluctantly, Eddie agreed and the two of them walked out of the hospital room.

* * *

Stepping into the hall outside Eddie's apartment to answer a call from his brother Danny, the door shut quietly behind Jamie to avoid waking her. Eddie had fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room, just minutes after they had sat down.

"Yeah, she's all right." Jamie told his brother on the other end. "She was riding with Jenkins today, he had her on some decoy assignment and they ran into a snag."

"I'm glad to hear that she didn't get seriously injured, and that she'll be back on the job in no time," Danny said on the other line. "It's important to have a partner that you can trust out there. I'm sure after today, she wishes that would have been you out there with her and not this Jenkins."

Jamie glanced back at the apartment door, nodding and answering in agreement.

After making plans to meet up at the gun range in a few days, to discuss what went down, Jamie stepped back into Eddie's apartment to find that she was sitting up on the sofa, obviously wondering if he had left or the reason he stepped out into the hall.

"Are you all right?" he asked, closing the door behind him and moving toward her.

"I hope you aren't going after Jenkins for any of this," Eddie spoke rather bluntly. "He had my back, just like any of us would for another officer. What happened wasn't his fault – it was mine." Jamie sat down beside her. "I saw that kid with a gun in his hand, and then I saw his mom, and even though this drug dealer was someone we need off the streets, I couldn't sit back and allow that kid to shoot him. I wrestled for that gun and sprained my wrist in the process."

Jamie placed a hand on hers. "What you did was brave. You saved their lives."

Nodding, Eddie leaned into him, as he wrapped an arm around her tightly to keep her close. There was silence between them for the next few seconds, but she finally looked up at him and said, "I suppose I don't need to ask you if you'll stay the night this time, do I?"

...


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you for all the feedback, it is greatly appreciated!

The next chapter will be interesting, and it causes their feelings for each other to get a bit more real, leaving Jamie to answer some tough questions from Frank. :)

* * *

 **Breaking the Rules:** **Chapter Five:**

* * *

It had been over 48 hours since Eddie was caught in an unfortunate situation during a decoy assignment, which caused a painful, but minor sprain in her wrist. Since then, she'd been going stir crazy around the apartment to keep her distance from the precinct, as she knew Jamie would be working the beat with Bethany, the very same rookie cop that he rode with the day she worked as a decoy with Jenkins.

She was itching to get back out on the beat.

To start, the doctor finally gave her the clearance to at least continue the undercover assignment with Jamie. A partial decoy in a sense, but at least this one appeared to be a bit safer on the surface, and even if it didn't turn out that way, Jamie would have her back.

Eddie then stood before the mirror, holding up a few dresses to see which would be the best.

Mark Jacobs was the male target for their assignment, someone who only appeared charming on the surface. It was clear after their last encounter with the couple that they were both as manipulative as they come. Eddie knew the dress she picked out for the night would need to draw his attention almost immediately.

"This is definitely the one."

* * *

"His description of what happened doesn't add up, "Jamie spoke loudly to his brother Danny, just before firing another round of bullets at the target 7 yards in the distance from where they stood. "He convinced her riding along as a decoy was a good idea, and then after they caught their perp he turned his back? Something is missing." He paused briefly. "Anything could have happened out there, Danny."

It wasn't the words coming from his younger brother that worried him, it was the tone in the voice.

Danny and Jamie continued to shoot a few more rounds in silence.

"From everything you just told me, it seems like this guy is a solid cop. You know that Eddie can hold her own out there, I think she's proven that. What's your beef with this guy, huh?" Danny yelled over the loud vibration of bullets hitting the target from several at the shooting range.

The two shot a few more rounds.

Jamie focused solely on the target, trying to delay answering the question from his brother.

"I don't know much about Jenkins, but my concern is with Eddie, not him."

Again, Danny sensed a strange tone in his brother's voice. This wasn't typical, as Jamie usually gave everyone the benefit of the doubt and didn't question their actions on the job. There wasn't always the time to think every step out in critical moments. Despite this, Danny gave him a sideways glance before returning to fire another round at the target, now 25 yards away from where they stood.

Jamie then continued, "The whole situation could have ended badly, not just for Eddie, but for the little boy and his mother. She saved their lives."

"Right, she did her job," Danny responded back, not sensing the problem.

Shrugging, Jamie couldn't argue with the simple statement. It was true – Eddie did her job out there, putting her own life on the line to save others. It was what they were taught at the academy, it was the risk they took every day they put on the uniform. And while he had nothing but respect for what she did in the moment, it bothered him to no end that Jenkins stood idly by and just let her wrestle with that young boy over a gun, one that could have gone off and left either one of them with a bullet wound.

Maybe this was the reason behind the struggle – he knew she could have gotten severely wounded.

Danny finished his round, and then set the gun down before turning to Jamie.

"Am I missing something? Eddie did her job, she saved lives, and then escaped any real harm to her own life in the process. Shouldn't you be grateful? If I'm missing something here kid, fill me in," he asked in confusion, who had just finished his round as well.

How was Jamie to respond to this?

He knew he couldn't.

Over the past few days, he'd questioned his own reasons for the anger that was boiling inside him. Was this really about his partner on the job, or was this more about the emotions behind Eddie on a personal level? He was invested in her, that much was clear.

To him at least – and he couldn't exactly express this feeling to anyone.

Finally, Jamie turned to his brother and said, "You're not missing anything."

The two picked up their guns, and then made their way out the doors of the shooting range before stopping at the corner of the sidewalk. Neither were quite sure they were on the same side when it came to what went down with Eddie and Jenkins.

This was for a reason.

Jamie was unable to tell his brother the full reason behind the irritation.

"Listen— "Danny stopped Jamie before they went their separate ways. "If you want me to dig into what happened with Jenkins a little further, I'm going to need you to tell me the full reason this bothers you and why." He noticed how uneasy Jamie appeared at this suggestion. "Is this only about what happened out on this undercover?"

Jamie was silent.

Maybe that was a giveaway.

"If you ask me, and I'm not saying that is what you're doing, but if it were me and I was emotionally invested in my partner— "Danny noticed Jamie's attempt at denial, more with his actions than actual words. "I'm just saying, if this is personal for you, then you need to make sure you understand your reasons." Jamie nodded, hearing what his brother was trying to say. "You're the smartest cop I know, so I'm betting if that is what's going on, you've already thought it through."

Jamie halfway smiled, nodding lightly as they turned and went their separate ways.

* * *

Inside her apartment, Eddie slid into the dress that was sure to turn a few heads that evening. However, she struggled with the zipper in the back, knowing that her hand just wouldn't turn in the direction needed to zip it to the top.

The wrap around her wrist was getting in the way.

It did, however, give her a nice excuse to stay off the dance floor with Mark that evening.

Before trying to twist her body too much to zip up the remainder of the dress, there was a loud knock at the door that caused her to panic slightly, until she realized it was probably Jamie.

Eddie took one last glance in the mirror, and then after a breath, quickly made her way to the door and opened it to face whoever was on the other side.

A small smile appeared once she saw him.

"I need some help…"

He let out a chuckle as she wrinkled her nose through the smile, and then his eyes landed directly on her partially exposed back as she turned and stepped further into the apartment. He tried not to let on that he was very affected by that vision. Instead, he quickly grabbed the door as it almost closed right in front of him.

His thoughts had quickly been interrupted.

"What…do you need?" he stammered, catching the door with one hand, and then stepping inside the apartment, letting it practically slam behind him. At that moment, he wasn't too worried about the vibration the door made throughout the hallway.

She turned her back to him, holding her hair up to reveal the full cause of the problem. "The zipper."

Jamie exhaled as he stepped to her in silence.

Her eyes closed at the feel of his fingertips against her skin, a part of her almost wished he was zipping it down rather than upward, which closed off any exposed area of her skin. This electricity between them was difficult to ignore, and she was sure he felt it too.

"Thank you," she said softly when turning around to face him.

He nodded, pressing his lips together for a second. "You…you're welcome."

From his roaming eyes, it was clear that he approved of the dress she had picked out for their operation that night, which was slightly fitted and rested just above the knee. "I got a call from the doctor today, he cleared me for tonight."

Jamie gave her a skeptical look.

"He did," she repeated with a little laughter, knowing that he didn't exactly believe it. "What do you think, though?" she asked, taking a step backward so he could get a full view of what she was wearing. "Do you think it will draw him in enough?"

Did he?

He could barely contain his own breathing by the sight of her.

"I think so," Jamie breathed, and she threw him ones of those smiles that almost made him wish he had her to himself for the night. "I think you'll turn more than just a few heads tonight."

Eddie stepped to him, knowing full well that the closing the proximity between them was a dangerous one. Ever since they became intimate, they didn't seem to be able to turn off this burning attraction between each other. "We have a few minutes before we have to leave."

He felt her hands rest gently against his chest, with her head tilted just slightly and that smile that he craved. "And?" He knew they didn't have enough time to start anything, besides she was fully dressed. "I wouldn't want to put a wrinkle in that dress of yours."

One thing she always loved, he was always respectful of her, but sometimes too much of a gentleman.

"But you do, don't you?"

His eyes lowered to her lips, knowing that yes, he wanted to undo the zipper and pull that dress right off her. He wanted a lot of things when it came to her, but at the same time he knew he had to keep his composure, at least while they were still partners and working together.

Normally, though, behind closed doors, he could show her all the ways he wanted her.

But not now, as they needed to leave for the case they were working on.

"Don't you?" she asked again, even though by the way his eyes kept focusing on her lips, she knew the answer to this question was a definite yes. However, she wasn't going to push him to answer for a second time.

When her hands dropped from his chest and she stepped around him, this caused him to turn around as well. He watched her for a few seconds, as she leaned down to pick up the handbag in the corner of the sofa. "Eddie— "

Her eyes shifted to him, waiting for what he had to say.

"I met with Danny today, and I wanted to tell him about us."

This left her frozen, especially knowing that they had decided to stay partners and keep what was going on between them as a secret. Otherwise, they knew what was ahead for them, new partners and possibly new precincts. "Jamie."

He sensed the tone in her voice as she stood upright.

This was not a good move, even if he didn't go through with it.

"I didn't say anything," he divulged, just as she stepped back to him. "I can't say that it isn't something that I haven't thought about. In a way, I want my family to know. So, when Danny and I were discussing Jenkins, I got a sense from him that he sort-of knew. I didn't confirm it for him, but I didn't exactly deny it, either."

They both knew that their situation couldn't stay as is forever.

It just wasn't possible.

"Maybe we broke all the rules for nothing," Eddie said with a sadness, turning slightly from him.

He grabbed her forearm before she could step away completely, as he wasn't sure what she was trying to say and he wasn't about to leave it at that and go off on this assignment. "What are you saying here?"

She stood, halfway facing him. "Silently, we risked our partnership for something more," she declared, meeting his gaze. "I don't know. What did it mean? What do we mean? We've both said we don't want to let go of the partnership and risk our jobs for something that is uncertain. So, what are we doing?"

It was true, they didn't want to let go of their partnership.

That didn't mean they wanted to let go of this personal side, either.

"I thought we decided what we were doing the other night," Jamie responded, hands in both pockets as he watched her every move rather closely. "Didn't we decide to move forward, together? Keep what was going on between us a secret – for now? I guess I thought we did."

They did – in the moment, when their physical need for the other was undeniable.

She turned her body around to face him, knowing that while a part of her felt guilty for him lying to his family, she knew that this is how it would be for the time being. "You're right, we did." She interlaced their fingers together, leading him toward the door and on their way to the assignment for the night.

...


	6. Chapter 6

Hello, everyone!

Sorry for the delay in this chapter, I am in the process of moving so life is a little hectic. I will post one more chapter before the move, and then I'll pick back up as soon as I can. :)

* * *

 **Breaking the Rules: Chapter Six**

* * *

Eddie could feel Jamie's deep stare with each passing step on the dance floor. Not only did he appear annoyed, she couldn't deny that there was a bit of an uneasy feeling herself as Mark Jacobs' hands roamed around her backside.

The bandage on her wrist didn't slow down his aggressiveness.

"Maybe you should drop that husband of yours and go in on this deal with us," Mark Jacobs whispered near Eddie's ear, just before pressing against her a bit more. This action threw her off a bit, knowing that his wife was nearby. However, once they turned, he took the opportunity to look over at his wife with Jamie, hoping that she was doing her part with as just as much effort.

Shifting slightly, Eddie found his grip a little tight for her liking. "We're not married."

"Even more reason to toss him aside."

Eddie rolled her eyes as they turned once more hoping to send Jamie a signal as they did, one that let him know they were about to move into the next phase at any moment. Unfortunately, though, she found that Mark Jacobs' wife was doing her best to block their view from each other.

This was obviously part of the plan.

It didn't seem to matter what direction he shifted either, the woman moved in unison with Jamie.

Eddie then found herself remembering what Jamie had told her - the warning Mrs. Jacobs had given him the last time they were all together, which was that her husband carried a gun with him and wouldn't be afraid to use it. She told him that this was her one and only warning, something neither her or Jamie understood the reasons behind a warning.

Did she feel guilty about what they were doing?

Or, was this part of a tactic she used with the innocent couples?

"Why would I need to get rid of Jamie? I thought this plan involved all four of us?"

Mark wondered if he'd misjudged this pair – they didn't seem as gullible as the usual targets. Did he misread them? Typically, all he had to do was mention a bigger piece of the pie and the women seemed willing to toss their significant other aside, at least long enough to distract them, which then allowed him to easily obtain a very large amount of cash from her bank account.

"Do you need his permission to make this deal?" Eddie heard in a stern whisper from him.

* * *

Mrs. Jacobs was using her physique to distract Jamie, something that was irritating since he was attempting to ensure that her husband didn't cross the line with Eddie. Even though he knew she could hold her own with this guy, it didn't stop the protective nature he had where she was concerned.

The woman finally sat back in the chair next to him, exhaling deeply.

It was clear that she was studying his body language.

"Does Eddie dancing with my husband put you on edge?" she asked, in between sips of the glass of wine directly in front of her. "It does seem to grate under your skin, unless I'm reading you all wrong." Despite Jamie's refusal to give her a formal response, she glanced over her shoulder at her husband and his dance partner. "She doesn't really seem to be willing to jump in on this deal with us."

Jamie leaned back a bit, trying to get a better view of what was happening on the dance floor. "Why do you say that?" he questioned, since the only thing he noticed was that Eddie seemed a bit uncomfortable from the tight grip Mr. Jacobs appeared to have around her waist. It wasn't a sight he cared to witness either, but he knew he needed to wait for her signal before he even dared to step in.

For now, he held back from interrupting.

At this rate, though, he might not make it another then minutes.

"The look on my husband's face – he is losing patience with her," Mrs. Jacobs pointed out to Jamie. "He might be naïve in her reasoning. But, all I have to do is give him the signal and this girlfriend of yours will have a few bullets in her side." At the words, she noticed Jamie's demeanor change in a blink of an eye. "I take it the idea of such action is a little unsettling to you?"

This woman had some serious problems – was this supposed to be a joke?

Or, did she like to see the male partners squirm, knowing she was calling the shots?

"I can make it worth your while if you toss Eddie aside and I do the same with my husband," she said, dangling some sort of monetary and physical desire in front of him, believing that was all that was needed, as if he was just as crazy as her husband.

Jamie pushed her glass of wine toward her side of the table, just before standing up from the chair.

"I think I'll pass."

The woman stood as well, nodding toward her husband, and then created a distraction by knocking her glass of wine off the table. This caused Jamie to jerk his head back just long enough for Mark Jacobs to pull out a gun and direct Eddie out the back door.

It had all happened so fast.

Jamie then turned back to the dance floor after the woman apologized, to find that Eddie was nowhere in sight. She had completely disappeared from the dance floor, along with their target, Mark Jacobs.

It was clear that they had misjudged the MO of this couple.

What that meant, that was to be determined.

He looked around the room, hoping to find some type of clue to where she would have gone. All he had left was Mrs. Jacobs; and while she had warned him of what her husband could do to Eddie as his patience grew thin, Jamie honestly had doubts that she was telling the truth.

Now that it appeared she was, he was filled with concern on when he'd see Eddie again.

His mind flashed in and out of one of the last things he said to her.

"… _In a way, I want my family to know what you mean to me. So, when we were discussing Jenkins, I got a sense from him that he sort-of knew."_

Jamie was almost too distracted by visions of Eddie that he didn't notice Mrs. Jacobs was about to slip out of his view to who knows where – maybe she had a designated meeting spot with her husband when things got out of hand? Had she purposely been trying to get Jamie to turn on Eddie?

If so, what were those reasons and why?

Did they believe that this deal was too much work?

He took out his cell phone, and as he was about to dial the number for his brother Danny, the woman yanked the phone from his hand and looked Jamie square in the eye. "I can take you to her."

* * *

Jamie stepped out the front door with this woman, reluctantly willing to trust anything she had to say but feeling as though he had no choice in the moment, as this wasn't just about some officer that he was paired with on an undercover assignment, this was someone he was emotional tied to in more ways than one.

The woman noticed his silence, something unexpected and rare.

Neither spoke a word as they walked further down the sidewalk.

Once they both turned the corner of the building, walking down the dark alley between two buildings and barely able to see an end in sight, Jamie started to wonder what he would find at the other end. Would Eddie really be there? Was this a trap?

The two of them heard a noise coming from the far end. And as Jamie was about to turn and ask where they were headed, he noticed that she had disappeared as well, which caused him to suddenly stop in his tracks.

From a distance, he heard a vehicle's tires squeal.

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath, feeling as though the only lead he had slipped away. Normally, he was better at putting the pieces of the puzzle together, but he couldn't keep his head straight on this one.

He leaned down a bit as his knees were bent slightly, and he pressed his hands against them, breathing deeply and trying to recall everything he could to what Mrs. Jacobs had told him since their first encounter with this couple.

Any small clue was bound to help.

He then stood upright, about to turn back to the street lights when he heard a shuffling sound.

"Eddie — "

A light began to shine down the dark alley as the figure closed in on him, which was coming from the flashlight of a cell phone. He couldn't help but smile from relief once he saw her vision, noticing that at first glance she appeared unharmed.

"Are you OK?" Eddie asked Jamie, breathing heavily before stopping a few feet before him.

Jamie noticed her gun, and even though he didn't have to ask, he did anyway. "You good?"

She nodded, holding up the gun, and then placing it back in the purse that Jamie handed her. It didn't seem as though Jamie quite understood what happened – where had she gone, and how did she end up in this alley seemingly in a better place than he expected.

"That is one angry man when he doesn't get his way."

A large smile spread across Jamie's face at her words. Mrs. Jacobs had warned him on her husband, but instead of letting those words get to him, based on what he was seeing, maybe he should have warned her about Eddie instead.

"I should call Danny."

Eddie nodded, knowing that if Jamie trusted anyone on this one, it was his brother.

* * *

After walking toward the street from the alley, Jamie turned to Eddie. "How did you manage to turn the tables on him? And why didn't you give me a signal on what was going down?"

"I tried!" Eddie exclaimed, recalling that she had tried to give him a signal almost a half dozen times. "You had your hands full – and from what I could tell, she didn't have any intention in allowing any glance in my direction." She paused, leaning against the brick of the building. "Mark – he was more than willing to bring me into this plan, if I threw you to the curb."

Jamie nodded and then said, "His wife fed me the same line."

"What did you say?"

Looking away from the cars on the street, he turned back to Eddie. "I told her I wasn't interested." He might have gone along with the plan if his partner was just a partner, but this assignment was two sides of a coin – Eddie was his partner, but she was also secretly someone he was emotionally invested in.

They both tried to ignore their feelings, but they kept coming back to them.

This assignment, though, it was a dangerous one because of those feelings. He didn't react in the right way when Eddie was missing from the dance floor, as his emotions got in the way. He was at the mercy of this woman and her husband.

Before either could say much more, Danny and Maria pulled up to the curb.

Jamie cleared his throat as Eddie removed herself from the exterior of the building and stepped beside him, seconds before Danny approached the two of them and Maria trailing from behind. "What happened here, kid?" Danny asked his brother.

Jamie turned to Eddie, knowing she would have to be the one to answer.

"We're working on an undercover, trying to nail down a couple that swindles money from couples. We thought we were on the right track with them, getting on the inside with this so-called invention idea, which we thought was their way to weed out which half of the couples would be willing to hand over quite a bit of cash to them."

"He had his eye on Eddie," Jamie continued where she ended. "And his wife tried to use me as a distraction, so that her husband could turn Eddie."

"He convinced me early in the evening to join him on the dance floor, and when I wasn't cooperating, he shoved a gun in my side and directed me through a crowd and right out the back door." She paused, glancing over at Jamie before continuing. "He had a car waiting, obviously with the assumption that I was the weaker part of the couple Reagan and I were trying to sell, and he kept telling me that I'd regret not taking him up on his offer."

It didn't take long for Danny to turn his focus to Jamie, watching his reaction to Eddie's detail.

"…So, after he got a little rough, he attempted to shove me into this car. However, when I pulled out my gun, it must have freaked him out because he dropped his and hopped into the car." She hadn't picked up the gun since the driver had crunched it into pieces. "There weren't any plates on the vehicle that I could see."

Maria turned to Eddie and said, "You were probably lucky to get away."

"Do you think you can continue to push this guy?" Danny asked Eddie, trying keep all focus on her and not in the general direction of his brother Jamie, knowing he could read him well at this point. Maybe nobody else saw it or was willing to call him on it, but this was more than a partner on the job to him. "I think we need to get them off the street before they do anymore damage."

Jamie didn't like what he was hearing. "Danny…"

"Absolutely," Eddie answered Danny, despite Jamie's reluctance for her to do so. "Whatever it takes."

* * *

Eddie came out of the bathroom, with a clean wrap around her wrist, wincing a bit from the bruising. She only halfway expected Jamie to be waiting for her, pacing outside of the bathroom, almost as if she had broken bones rather than just a bruised, sprained wrist.

"I know this is not easy, but I don't want you upset with your brother," Eddie stated, walking around him and entering the kitchen. "He's not asking me to do anything he wouldn't ask any cop. We need to get this couple off the streets – if I didn't have a gun on me tonight, who knows where they would have taken me?"

"I don't want to think about it."

Eddie knew this was what they'd discussed before – emotions got in the way of being partners, and it clouded your judgement of trusting your partner 100% in life or death situations. And now, here Jamie was, wanting to avoid discussion of her putting her life on the line to bring this man to his knees.

"You're a good cop," Jamie began, stepping toward her on the other side of the kitchen counter. "We both know that. We both know you could cover my back in any situation and that you would never back down." He knew Eddie was irritated, despite what he was telling her. "We also know that how I handled things tonight was not the actions of a good cop."

Confused, she leaned into the counter, facing him. "What do you mean?"

"I panicked," he told her. "My cop instincts didn't kick in – my emotion did. My judgement was impaired, and all I seemed to care about was your safety. Once I heard your voice, I didn't even care about the fact that they were getting away or what led that to happen."

"Jamie…" she whispered, leaning into the edge of the counter just slightly.

"And Danny – he knows," Jamie continued, as he moved away from the counter and stepped around it toward her. "Probably the same way everyone in the house seemed to know before either one of us did. I guess we don't do a good job in hiding it."

As usual, her stomach was in knots as he stepped around to her side of the counter.

"But, we need to finish out this undercover, so we have to find a way to put those feelings aside." Jamie always went back and forth with what he'd be gaining on a personal to what they'd be tossing aside on a professional level.

Eddie pressed her lips together and nodded, "You want to put our feelings aside in this apartment, too?"

He smiled brightly as she stepped to him, "Maybe not."

The two moved slowly inward until their lips met, and it didn't take long before Jamie had wrapped his arms around her body and interlaced his fingers together as he pulled her in a bit closer, settling in for what came next.

Eddie felt his hands drop to her waist, as their lips parted and their foreheads slowly met.

Maybe they could do this – maybe they could stay partners by day and on assignments, but when the doors were closed, they could continue to dip their feet in the pool to what it would feel like to be in a full relationship.

She wanted to continue testing the waters.

He was already there, even if he didn't know it.

Eddie pulled her forehead from Jamie, and then turned around as she walked toward the bedroom door. Once inside, she noticed that Jamie was standing near the doorframe, but didn't enter the room with her.

"Are you staying?"

Jamie leaned against the frame, clearly contemplating on whether to stay the night. "You know what will happen if I do."

She knew.

Nodding, Eddie moved back to where he stood and reached out for his hand. "I know, that's why I asked if you were going to stay with me tonight." She stepped backward, pulling him with her until they reached the foot of the bed. "After tonight, I think we could use a little reminder, don't you?"

End of discussion – they both knew it.

...


	7. Chapter 7

**It has been several months, but I am back with a new chapter! So...for those still reading or having an interest, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Breaking the Rules: Chapter Seven:**

* * *

Jamie entered through the doors of the bar, the noise was deafening, but choosing to ignore the sounds around him while weaving through the crowd, directly toward the nearest bartender in the back where he knew he could at least try and drown out the day.

He quickly ordered a beer, took a seat and let out a deep sigh.

The day had been long, heck the week felt longer than most.

It felt like for the first time since becoming a cop, he'd let emotions interfere on an undercover assignment, and now his superiors were questioning his actions and wanting answers that he wasn't comfortable providing. They wanted to know what happened – why didn't they have a plan in place, a safe word to communicate back to the department? Or, why didn't one of them use their instincts to defuse the situation before it got out of hand?

For Jamie - why did he lose sight of Eddie?

Why didn't he react the way he was trained?

These were questions he just could not answer – not truthfully.

It wasn't about being in over his head or failing to trust his partner when needed. That was never a question – Jamie trusted Eddie with his life out on the beat – they were in sync in that way.

Lately, though, the line separating their professional and working relationship was beginning to intertwine and there was no longer a clear and defining line, one that told him that his partner on the job was just that, his partner, and the woman he felt an emotional pull toward didn't cross over into the other line.

What next?

Drop their partnership?

Drop this personal development between each other?

Jamie had tried to keep all the feelings he had toward her as platonic and close to the vest – to avoid breaking the rules and disappointing his family, and to somehow find a way to keep their work partnership in-tact for as long as that is what they were.

Unfortunately, those feelings weren't as easy to keep bottled up as he had thought.

Not when she had them, too.

Luckily, he didn't have another moment to dive into those thoughts and question whether he was making the right choice, just as a familiar voice pulled him back to reality when sitting down in the bar stool next to him. "What are you doing here, Danny?" Jamie asked, glancing over at his brother. "How did you even find me?"

"A draft," Danny spoke and signaled to the bartender, before finally acknowledging his brother's clear annoyance of his presence. The question was why – as far as he was aware, there hadn't been any updates on the case for Jamie to be in such a foul mood. Aside from that, however, it was clear that he was going through some sort of emotional struggle.

He wouldn't be sitting in a bar alone.

"I thought I would check in—"

Jamie interrupted, knowing exactly why he was there. "This isn't your assignment, Danny." His words were sharp. "I shouldn't have brought you in on it…Eddie and I got it." Silence occurred between them, neither really understanding the tone coming from Jamie.

Danny nodded a few times.

"What?" Jamie questioned, "I…" he quickly stopped before saying another word. Maybe calling Danny into the case was an overreaction on his part, which was mostly because Eddie had just disappeared with the man that was calling the shots in their operation, and he felt helpless, not knowing what kind of danger was about to surround them.

In that moment – his feelings for Eddie took control.

To Danny, the warning signs were there; however, until Jamie was ready to vocalize what was going on, there was no use for him to be the one to point out the obvious. All that would come out of it would be continuous denial – any excuse, really.

More than likely, the reason behind Jamie wanting to remain on the beat.

Danny knew his brother had good instincts – the making of a great detective.

"Look Danny, I just lost sight of her…" Jamie's words trailed amidst getting lost in thought and focusing solely on the beer bottle. "…I panicked for a moment…that's it. I guess it's on me - I was fooled by Mrs. Jacobs for a split second, tuned into her questions. It was clearly a diversion, and I should have known better – her husband was losing patience with Eddie that night, and I still can't put my finger on what exactly he wants from her – money, or if he had his eye on her for something else. All I know – all I can remember is, I looked up and she was gone." Not realizing how the tone in his voice changed from beginning to end, Jamie turned to Danny and tried to shake off the thoughts turning in his head. "I know, I should have trusted that Eddie was trained for these situations – that's what you're here to tell me, isn't it?"

Danny pushed the beer bottle to the side and said, "No kid, I'm not here to bust your chops about that."

* * *

Eddie had been pacing around the center of the living room of the apartment for the past hour, nervous about the fact that Jamie was not answering her call, whether that was intentional or not. Either way, he was turning out to be impossible to reach.

The two of them knew evenings were set aside of their undercover assignment - period.

It was clear that Jamie was less than pleased on Danny's suggestion with their next move.

Maybe Jamie was avoiding her for that reason?

Tonight, though, she needed his attention after receiving a lead on Mark Jacobs. The problem was, if she waited for Jamie to finally answer one of her calls, there was a strong possibility that the window of opportunity would close before sunrise. On the flip side, Eddie also knew that if she forged ahead alone and it didn't go right, there was risk there as well.

There were rules undercover – if she went ahead on her own without backup, they'd be broken.

Maybe even risking suspension.

Getting this couple off the streets meant putting an end to their ability on swindling money from innocent couples and destroy marriages as a bonus. They were good – they had you dialed in before you even knew what was going on.

Eddie tried Jamie's cell again – voicemail.

A part of her knew what he'd do if the lead came his way.

Mark Jacobs wasn't about to extend the invitation long – she had to act fast.

"Forget it—"

* * *

"…it's not about your instincts, Jamie. You're a Reagan. But, what is this—" he points directly at him, who clearly was distracted and acting out of character. "Your head is elsewhere. So, if you want to close this case, put whatever is going on aside until you handle your business."

Maybe Danny was right – this wasn't the time to get involved with Eddie.

Their relationship – if you want to call it that – was turning out to be a distraction for him.

Jamie then noticed the vibration of the cell phone, and even though Eddie's number flashed across the screen more than once, there was little movement on his part to pick it up and possibly have Danny dissect any type of exchange between the two of them.

Somehow, he would have to divert Danny's attention.

"You going to take that?" Danny finally asked out of confusion. After all, it was a string of continuous vibrations coming from the ringer on the phone being on silent. "Might be important – what if it's about the case?"

In an exasperated sigh, Jamie reluctantly reached for the phone and pressed the button to take the call. "Hello?" There was a moment of silence on the other end, although he could hear a muffled background noise of voices and cars, which caused him to repeat those same words. "Hello? Eddie?"

Danny witnessed the way Jamie's body language changed – he was alert, trying to listen intently.

"Eddie—" Jamie called out as he stood up, finding it difficult to hear what was being said through the constant chatter moving across the space in the bar. He quickly dug into the back pocket in search of his wallet, but Danny waived him off, letting him know that he'd handle it.

"Eddie, can you hear me? Eddie!"

It didn't take long before Danny placed a few bills on the counter and told the bartender to keep the change, following his brother from behind, knowing that that it was possible that Jamie's partner had gotten herself into some sort of jam.

Jamie's tone was still loud as Danny exited the bar. "We'll put a trace on her phone."

And then suddenly, Jamie stopped in the middle of the sidewalk while Danny was halfway toward his vehicle, it was her voice on the other end of the line that made the panic in his voice disappear.

It wasn't just hers, though.

"It was a trap."

"Eddie, who is with you?" Jamie breathed, praying that she hadn't gone and risked her own life since he'd spent the last half hour ignoring her call. "I can't hear you. Where are you?"

Danny joined Jamie in that moment, seeing the sense of relief in his brother's facial expressions.

The conversation between the two carried on for the next several seconds, and then Jamie turned to and nodded slightly with a small smile on his face. Once the two hung up, Danny knew that this close call appeared to be just that – a close call.

* * *

The door to Eddie's apartment opened slowly as Jamie waited impatiently – however, she wasn't alone when it finally opened, so he needed to control any emotion was feeling when he saw that she was safe.

The fellow officer extended his hand. "Jamie – good to see you, man."

Jamie shook his hand.

Through the exchange, Eddie's eyes were locked on Jamie's movement, and then the officer walked into the hallway next to Jamie. "I have to get back out on tour, but she's all right." He then turned back to Eddie. "Stay away from that guy – from what I've heard, he's trouble. "

A fake smiled appeared, and then Eddie walked into her apartment, knowing Jamie would soon follow.

That is, if she knew him the way she thought.

"Where were you tonight?" she finally asked, once the door closed and they were in the center of the living room, directly facing one another. It wasn't just a question either, she was accusing him of not being where he should have been when she got the call.

"Obviously not where I was supposed to be."

Shrugging, Eddie couldn't argue with what he said. "I got the call from Mark Jacobs a few hours ago, he wanted to meet me - alone." She was hesitant to continue once he began to move closer; however, she knew he'd want the details. "I thought he wanted to discuss one of us handing money over in this scheme of theirs."

Jamie had shortened the distance between them.

"He didn't?"

Eddie shook her head, upset. "He didn't want money, Jamie."

To calm her, there was an attempt on Jamie's part to reach for her hand. However, before their fingers even grazed, Eddie pulled away and moved over to the kitchen. He felt the tension coming from across the room. "What did he want with you?"

He wasn't even sure if he had to ask?

"What do you think?" Eddie snapped back, and then grabbed a wine glass from the rack on the counter and popped the cork on the bottle. Jamie's eyes were on her as she poured the wine into the glass, and she was clued in as she tried to focus on placing the cork back in the bottle. Jamie was silent, and then she finally looked up. "He wanted sex, Jamie."

These words were difficult for her to say as they were for him to hear.

It caused tension in his body language almost immediately.

Jamie shoved both hands in the front pockets, and while he took a sharp, inward breath, their eyes locked for a split second. The act made his skin crawl – especially now that they were about as involved as much as they could be right now.

"What about his wife?" he asked, even though that wasn't really what was on his mind.

All he really wanted her to say was, nothing happened between them.

That she wasn't hurt.

"I don't know," Eddie answered softly while shaking her head. "He made it clear that he thought you were into his wife, so in return, I guess he thought I'd be into him the same way – in and out of the bedroom."

It was the most ridiculous statement he'd heard since they started the operation.

He didn't even know how to react.

Eddie was a little disappointed Jamie didn't have more to say. Instead of challenging him on it, she poured the remaining wine in the glass down the sink and headed toward the door of the apartment. "It's been a long night, and I'm sure you'd rather get back to whatever it was you were doing tonight."

A small smile appeared on his face – if only she'd known.

"I was with Danny tonight, trying to avoid a lecture on why my focus wasn't where it should have been the other night. You were doing what you needed to do – I guess I forgot to act like a cop who trusts his partner out on the beat or in an operation."

Eddie let the door close shut.

"Danny told me to get my head on straight – get out of my own head and finish the job."

There was this waive of emotion inside her that couldn't be explained - they kept saying their personal feelings could only be felt within the walls of her apartment, but working on this operation as a couple was displaying all the emotions that could be felt when you truly cared for someone – having it both ways wasn't easy.

"I picked up your call and all I heard was muffled voices and screeching cars," he continued, recalling the panic that had set in when he didn't hear her voice on the other end of the line for several minutes. "I was kicking myself for not picking up that call earlier."

They stood on the opposite ends of the room – lost in their own thoughts.

"What did you tell Danny?"

Jamie could tell she hadn't quite forgiven him for ignoring her call – luckily, she didn't exactly walk into it alone, she had another officer on watch, just in case back-up was needed. However, this should have been him and not another officer.

"I didn't tell him anything," Jamie spoke in a low whisper, watching her lean against the wall and drop both eyes from his stare until he moved near her. "I don't want you to do that again, to put yourself on the line without proper backup – you walk away if it comes down to that."

...


	8. Chapter 8

**Breaking the Rules - Chapter Eight**

* * *

Eddie sat in silence when the Sergeant entered the office and closed the door – _'this can't be good'_ , she thought, once he slammed a thick file onto the desk in front of her and let out a deep sigh before making direct eye contact.

"There has been a change in the investigation that you and Reagan were working on."

"Were, Sir?" Eddie questioned in confusion, sitting straight in the chair, preparing for what was to come.

"This is no longer a case that requires a couple – Reagan is off the case." Eddie appeared uncomfortable with the idea of Jamie being removed. "The wife of Mark Jacobs fled the country, and according to my sources, he has targeted you to replace her." He paused for a moment and then said, "The stakes are higher now, he is angry and bitter, and today was booked on assault and then released." It didn't take long for the change in Eddie's body language to be noticed. "You in, or do we start over with this investigation?"

"I'm in…." Eddie nodded, words trailing. "…and assuming I will have a back-up, who would that be?"

"Danny Regan."

The words sunk in as she slowly leaned back in the chair and looked at the Sergeant - she wasn't exactly sure how Jamie would take the news? Would he be angry over the fact that he got yanked from the assignment, especially since it was his brother Danny replacing him?

She was in no place to question the decision that was made.

All that could be done now is, make the best of the situation and prove her worth.

They spent the next several minutes working out the details, and then she was quickly excused.

* * *

Lost in thought after exiting the office and walking down the hall, Eddie almost rushed past Jamie without even realizing it. She was quickly thrown back into reality when he grabbed her forearm and pulled her back.

"Woah…" Jamie drew out in a breath. "You know, I saw the schedule for tomorrow – you're riding with Anderson for the next few days?"

Eddie could barely gather her thoughts as he turned her around. "I - haven't seen the schedule yet."

The two headed out the doors of the precinct, noticing most of their fellow officers probably hadn't returned from their day tour quite yet, judging by the small number of squad cars parked out front. As they walked in silence, it didn't take long for Jamie to notice how Eddie seemed to be a million miles away. "What's with you?"

This was not going to be an easy conversation.

Jamie had already been irritated with Danny over recent events of the case.

Now this?

Eddie slowed her pace once they crossed the street and stepped onto the sidewalk away from the precinct, the time in silence allowed for her to gather the jumbled thoughts before unloading some unsettling news. "I just came from meeting with Sarge…and, he told me I'll be on this undercover case solo going forward." They stopped and he was silent – in fact, he was almost emotionless to the news she just dropped into his lap. "Well, not completely alone. Danny's been pulled into it with me now."

"I know."

Here she was, dreading the conversation between the two of them, and now he was telling her that he already knew about it? Why didn't he warn her before she went in there – at least a heads up before she walked in, rather than allowing her to be blindsided?

"You know." The tone of her voice was laced with irritation.

Jamie nodded, waiting for a couple to pass by them before answering. "Yeah, about an hour ago."

Eddie stared in his general direction for the next several seconds, surprised.

Why didn't he seem phased by this?

Disappointed, and even a bit nervous about not working with him on this operation going forward, she folded her arms across the chest and watched him closely. Danny was his brother, so for her, that was at least a bit comforting. However, she wasn't quite sold on the way Jamie was taking this turn of events.

"Eddie—"

"I don't get you, Reagan – not at all," she interrupted.

The two of them had known the risks of this operation from day one, and it wasn't surprising to Jamie that it had taken a turn, especially over the way Mark Jacobs seemed to have eyes for Eddie and how his wife had picked up the signals very early on.

He remembered it all too well.

"What do you want me to say here, Eddie? It wasn't like I had a choice in this – I was forced out; I didn't get a say on this one." She was silent, and he wasn't sure why she was bothered by this case more than others. "Can we discuss this somewhere else, in let's say, an hour?"

Once she was out of sight, Jamie pulled out the cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

* * *

Eddie turned the doorknob to her apartment and entered, noticing the darkness. The day had ended unexpectedly when she was called in to discuss the undercover assignment, and then when she broke the news to her partner, he didn't seem to have any reaction to the fact that he'd been pulled from the case that they started together.

Her phone vibrated, and without glancing at the number, she held it up and answered it.

"Hello?" She repeated a few times.

"This is Mark Jacobs."

Eddie's eyes widened, not overly surprised to hear from him; however, at the same time, knowing that the story of the assignment was about to change, and she'd be putting herself into his personal space more than ever before.

Her and Jamie would no longer be portraying a couple.

"You free to meet me for drinks tomorrow night at my apartment in Manhattan?" Mark then continued, not allowing her to get a word in after the introduction. "I can send a car to pick you at your place around 7:00."

She certainly didn't want him to know where she lived. "Can we meet at someplace local first?"

* * *

Jamie found Danny waiting at the bar when he entered through the doors.

"Two Pints," Danny called out to the bartender as Jamie took a seat next to him. "I take it this is about your partners undercover case." The bartender placed the beer in front of them, and then they took a quick sip before starting the discussion around the case.

"Look Danny, I don't want to see her get hurt in this."

Danny nodded and said, "Eddie was brought into this case for a reason, and this Mark Jacobs seems to have taken to her in a way that can only help the investigation. You know that as well as I do. And, we need to let her play this out – do what she's trained to do. I'll be there for back-up, if she needs it."

A part of Jamie wasn't sure how to react – to him, this wasn't just about a case.

He didn't just want her to be all right, he _needed_ her to be.

Jamie dropped eye contact from Danny and took a gulp of the beer and drowned out his thoughts for a moment. "I trust Eddie – she's tough as nails, can hold her own against any cop I know. I just don't like that she's going into this alone, leaving her exposed to this creep."

"Is there something you're not telling me here, kid?"

Shifting in the bar stool, Jamie tried to avoid the question. "No…" he trailed in nervous laughter, responding. "I just want to know that you're going to do everything you can to protect her. Danny, this guy…" Jamie shook his head, recalling how aggressive Mark Jacobs has been with Eddie since the start. "…he wants Eddie, and from what I've seen, I don't really think he cares if she feels the same way or not."

Danny understood loud and clear.

The message was clear between them – protect Eddie at all costs.

* * *

More than two hours had gone by and Eddie hadn't even received a simple phone call from Jamie, which told her that he probably wasn't going to be stopping by that night and she certainly wasn't about to try to seek him out at his place.

On her way to the bedroom, Eddie touched the light switch and flicked it downward, and just like that the room was a bit darker again – only the street lights coming through the window gave any visibility to light. However, just as she turned, there was a knock at the door.

Here she was, in a t-shirt and yoga pants, with her hair still up in a loose bun from earlier in the day.

Hitting the switch upward again, the lights turned on and she made her way to the door.

Just as she unlocked the dead bolt and turned the knob, there was Jamie standing on the other side, apologizing for being late and explaining on his way inside that he had met Danny at the bar and they lost track of time.

Eddie shut the door, locking it once again.

It was then that Jamie noticed she looked as though she was about to turn in for the night. Had he really been that late? "I guess I should have called before coming over, I just thought we were going to still meet up tonight."

"We were – hours ago."

Was she angry with him for not calling?

Was this about the case?

Eddie walked past him and into the kitchen, standing on the other side of the counter and making direct eye contact with him as he kept a good bit of distance. "I left the precinct wondering why this seemed to be bothering me and it didn't appear to phase you? And now, you're telling me you spent that time discussing those feelings with Danny."

Jamie shoved both hands in the front pocket and shrugged his shoulders.

"I did go to Danny to talk about the case," Jamie removed his hands from the pockets, and then moved into the kitchen to where she stood. "I wanted him to understand why this wasn't just about a case." He let out slight breath. "But, he reminded me that I need to allow you to do your job."

"So, this does bother you?"

"Eddie – Of course, yes, it bothers me!" He exclaimed, almost surprised she would even have to ask. "It bothers me on a personal level – professionally, I know cops get pulled into cases away from their partners all the time, and I respect that. It's just…. that's not all this is between us."

Finally.

She stepped into him until their lips crashed onto one another and could feel his hands on her hips, pulling them even closer in proximity. This was all she needed to hear him say – it bothered him because of the personal feelings he felt toward her.

Their lips slowly parted, and Eddie felt his forehead against hers.

Whatever was going on between them was beginning to become more and more complicated, mostly because they continued to feel the struggle around staying together as partners to wanting to be find out what they have been missing out on personally.

When Jamie's hands dropped from her waist, she turned and walked into the living room, keeping her eyes on Jamie while he followed from behind and then sat down on the arm of the sofa. He might not be involved with her on the case any longer, but that didn't mean she should keep anything from him on it, either.

"He called me tonight."

Jamie glanced over at her. "Mark?"

She nodded. "Yeah, he wants me to have drinks at his place tomorrow night."

The mood between them was more than broken at the mere mention of this guy and her in the same sentence. "He's certainly not wasting any time making his move, is he?" Jamie's words were laced with jealousy and worry at the same time. "What did you tell him?"

"I agreed, but I asked for us to meet in local spot first."

He nodded, liking her suggestion. However, he knew she'd eventually be going back to Mark's place.

Eddie finally noticed Jamie's disgust when it came to this guy – he was reserved, so this wasn't always visible to the surface, which was why she felt disconnected from him earlier. He held back from revealing how he felt. "Jamie, I can handle this guy…" she expressed, moving toward him and stopping right before him. "…I'll signal for help before it has a chance to get out of control."

Jamie's hands wrapped around her waist and he pulled her close.

"You better—"

She smiled and leaned in until she felt the warmth of his lips on hers, and the grip around her waist, which led to her wrapping her own arms around him as their kiss deepened. They didn't want to say it, but in a way, they knew that what was occurring was more than just caring about another person, this was their future at some point down the line.

Jamie wanted to protect it, whether he put those pieces together or not, it was there.

Deep down, Eddie knew as well.

She placed another soft kiss on his lips, and then he looked up at her and pressed his lips together, holding the taste just a moment longer. The fact that they were keeping their involvement a secret from the precinct, his family, and anyone else they encountered that had ties to the police department was something he wasn't sure he could keep up much longer, especially when these feelings seemed to get stronger.

What if something happened to her on this case – something real?

Could he sit back and wait and it out?

And what if Mark Jacobs caused her harm – would he forgive his brother for letting it happen?

Even himself?

These were questions he didn't have the answers – all he knew was, she was beginning to be important in his life, and he wasn't sure what that all meant.

...


End file.
